Relationship Between Field Dependence - Field Independence, Piaget Conservation Tasks and School Variables.

Wicker, Tommie E.; O'Tuel, Frances S.

This study investigates relationships among conservation, field dependence/independence, school variables, achievement, screening measures, sex and race. A total of 124 first, second and third graders in a Southern rural school were administered 8 typical Piagetian conservation tasks (PCT), Children's Embedded Figures Test (CEFT), Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) and First Grade Screening Test (FGST). Results indicated a positive relationship (r=.50) between scores on conservation (PCT) and field independence/dependence (CEFT). Students who scored higher on the Piagetian conservation measures scored higher in field independence. They also scored higher on achievement measures (CTBS). The findings on sex differences indicated that girls scored higher than boys on the conservation tasks (PCT), in achievement (CTBS), and in field independence (CEFT), though the latter difference was not statistically significant. Analysis of differences due to race showed that white students scored significantly higher on the conservation tasks (PCT), on field independence (CEFT) and on achievement (CTBS) than black students. However, there was no significant difference between black and white students on IQ as measured by the FGST. (Author/SS)